1. Field of the Invention
This invention has relation to adjustable measuring devices which can be adjusted to provide a finite number of different cup-shape volumes which can be filled with materials to precisely measure material quantities of those volumes. This invention relates to the measurement of materials to be used in cooking or for any other purpose where measured materials are needed, including, but not limited to, granular or powdered materials such as meals, sugar, flour, baking powder, lard and the like, but also for other forms of materials including thin or viscous, aqueous or oily liquids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide measuring cups with adjustable bottoms to measure different quantities of materials. See the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,928 granted to S. F. Fohrman on June 24, 1958; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,348 granted to L. Berkower on Oct. 24, 1950; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,431 granted to Dickeson on May 23, 1939; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,014 granted to G. Chester on Mar. 3, 1953; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 883,898 granted to A. T. Moore on Apr. 7, 1908; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,080 granted to J. W. Rich on Sept. 28, 1954. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,849 granted to J. Setecka on Oct. 7, 1958.
Other devices have also been used to change the volume of a space for measuring material. See the following patent:
Many if not all of these prior art structures can give accurate results as far as measuring a quantity of material such as shortening, for example, is concerned. However, all of them suffer from certain deficiencies.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,928 to Fohrman, there is disclosed a tubular, relatively hard and rigid outer cylinder open at both ends, and an inner substantially cylindrical one-piece piston member of relatively softer, flexible and radially compressible material. Both the tubular outer member or cylinder and the inner relatively softer, flexible and radiablly compressible one-piece inner member or piston have a "slight upward taper" in order to facilitate production by injection molding. Structures made according to this invention are believed to be still on the market; but they are difficult to deal with. The cylinder and piston cannot move freely and easily with respect to each other at all positions along the longitudinal dimension of the hard plastic cylinder, due to the variation in the inner diameter of the cylinder and the consequent differences in drag between movement of the top sealing edge of the inner member or piston as it is dragged along the interior cylinder wall. Further, there does not seem to be provided any way to get a physically fixed relationship of the inner member to the outer member for the purpose of insuring that the measurement is going to be precisely accurate each time it is made. Also, considerable "drag" must be provided even at the maximum diameter of the cylindrical outer member to insure that the pieces won't slide with respect to each other while measurements are being made with the head of the piston located in this area of maximum dimension.
The adjustable measuring cup of the Berkower patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,348, seems to provide positive and finite volumes, by using the shank of a spoon 30 passing through diametrically paired apertures or stops 27 or 28 which are provided in the outer cylinder wall. These very apertures, however, leave places for spilled measured materials to gather and to build up, thus making the cup of Berkower very difficult to clean completely at each washing. Also making it very difficult to clean is the partition disc 18 which is situated approximately midway between the ends of the tube or cylinder. It is believed, for example, that use of the Berkower structure would not be permitted in certain food industries because of the difficulty in cleaning the cylinder portion of the measuring cup before and after use.
The patent to Dickeson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,431, presents a complicated spring and handle structure which certainly will pick up dirt in usage and will be very difficult to clean for that reason. However, the primary problem with the Dickeson structure is, probably, that there must be a longitudinally extending slot 2 extending vertically from the bottom to the top of the measuring cup.
Also provided with a slot which can discharge measured materials therethrough is the patent to Chester, U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,014. It likewise is not something which can easily be cleaned.
The patent to Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 883,898, is subject to the same difficulties as far as cleaning is concerned as those discussed above; as is the patent to Rich, U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,080.
The measuring scoop of Setecka, U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,849, appears to have no positive means of locking the upwardly opening trough-shaped outer receptacle with respect to the elongated smaller receptacle 12. Therefore, it will be difficult to obtain precisely the same measurement each time. The objections to the difficulty in cleaning this measuring scoop to meet the various health requirements will be as strongly made as in connection with any of the other scoops or measuring cups of the prior art.
Applicant has had a preliminary examination made on a forerunner of the present invention, and the patents cited above are all of the patents which were cited in the reporting of that search.
Applicant, and those in privity with her, are aware of no prior art closer than that discussed above; and are aware of no prior art anticipating the claims herein.